Evolution by Sarah Noffke & J.N. Chaney & Michael Anderle

Author:Sarah Noffke & J.N. Chaney & Michael Anderle [Noffke, Sarah & Chaney, J.N. & Anderle, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: LMBPN Publishing
Published: 2017-12-20T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Docking Bay, QBS ArchAngel, Tangki System

Do you know what this is about? Julianna asked Pip.

Silence.

Pip? What’s going on?

Pip is not available right now. If you leave your name and message at the beep, he’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Oh, okay. Now I have two noses to break.

Julianna turned the lever on the front of the ship’s hatch. She knew, absolutely knew, who she’d find inside this ship. Even so, she couldn’t understand how she’d arrived at this point. When and why had Eddie set all this up? He had mentioned Pip’s ascendance, so had that been it? Had she showed too much of her discomfort with that situation, however inadvertently?

Please try not to be angry at us.

This is about you becoming sentient. I get it.

Actually, you don’t get it. This isn’t about me at all, said Pip.

Fuck, you and Teach are talking in riddles. I’m in the freaking Twilight Zone, aren’t I?

Julianna stepped over the ship’s threshold and closed the door behind her. It was dark mostly, the gray light from overhead making everything appear to be black and white.

Oh, lookee there! Hatch needs my help with something incredibly important.

Pip… warned Julianna.

Monumental, actually. Super-important issue that only I can assist with. I think you’ll be fine here without me.

Julianna gritted her teeth. She’d been set up. Why hadn’t she gotten wind of this before now? She strode into the main area of the research vessel, which was empty—not a person in sight. However, she knew that wasn’t really true.

“Hello, Ricky Bobby,” said Julianna, her voice sounding strange in the empty ship.

The monitors around the ship flickered, flipping through different images and settling on a soft, calming blue. It was her favorite color, and he still remembered. Remembered that the hue relaxed her.

“Hello, Commander Julianna Fregin. It has been a long time,” said the voice of the AI from overhead.

His voice was calming to her, and a touch of familiarity, of nostalgia, pulled her into a sea of memories. She pushed them aside—a practice she had become quite adept at—and focused on this moment and nothing else. “What brings you to the ArchAngel?” she asked, staring at the large display screen. Even as Julianna asked the question she regretted it, since she knew what this was about.

“I was asked here by Captain Teach,” responded Ricky Bobby. “I believe he is a friend of yours.”

Some friend, she thought, and was surprised at herself. She knew Eddie had done this with nothing but the best of intentions, yet she felt anger as she stood in this place listening to her old partner speak.

“How have you been?” she asked, not knowing what else to say. She swung her arms back and forth, nervously. This was dumb. Why should she be nervous around Ricky Bobby, her first EI? The two had been paired for a long time, until…

“I am well,” said Ricky Bobby. “My research has led to many advancements for the Federation since last we saw each other. I’ve had many breakthroughs that I believe will assist future generations.

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